8.05.2010

Kirk's personal review of the Canon 7D and some lenses.

Let's get the persnickety housekeeping stuff out of the way: when I review a camera I'm basically telling you what I think it does well and what it does less well. I'm telling you how it fits in the hands of a five foot, eight inch tall guy. I'm subconsciously and consciously comparing the camera or the lens to all the hundreds of cameras I've bought, borrowed and used over the last 25 years. I'm not going to do technical testing. If you need to know how fast the camera powers up or how many grams the thing weighs or exactly where the noise falls on a scale you'll probably want to supplement my ramblings with some largely objective measures from a site like www.dpreview.com. Just do yourself a favor and stay out of the forums; it can get pretty savage in there.......

First a bit of history that will, in a tangential sort of way, explain how I ended up with a Canon 7D in my hands and what the thought process was.

Last Summer I was shooting everything with Olympus cameras and lenses. I liked them and they worked fine for most of the stuff I shot. I was thinking (incorrectly) that the bulk of our work was heading for the web and that the 12 megapixels and overly agressive anti-aliasing filters of the current Olympus cameras wouldn't present a problem. But then the economy started to recover in Austin. My favorite art directors started to re-discover the joys of designing double truck (two page) spreads in their advertising work and my favorite graphic designers started designing wrap around brochure covers and spec'ing really nice, high res offset printing on their projects. I'd shot something this Spring in the studio for my biggest client and he called me to talk about technical issues. (A very rare occurrence as most AD's don't care what gear you use as long as it works for them.....). He mentioned that he was comparing what I'd just shot for him with some stuff we'd shot a year earlier using a Kodak SLR/n (full frame, 14 megapixels) and told me that the Kodak stuff was much, much sharper and more detailed. He also mentioned that he'd just shot in Dallas with a photographer who was using a Canon 5Dmk2 and the evidence of magnificent detail in the files was obvious. He went straight for the juglar. He said, "I'm not going to tell you how to run your business ( a lead up that almost guarantees that someone is going to tell you how to run your business ) but, if your files aren't as detailed as those I'm getting from these other suppliers I'm going to have to send more business to them."

Before the surly and self-righteous among you scream into the comments that I shouldn't let this person dictate to me I want to mention that he paid me enough in fees in a bad year to buy a nice new car......and he's been one of my best friends for the better part of 20 years. It's the first time he's given me direct, technically inspired business advice. And, in retrospect, my pessimism led me to believe the market was heading in a direction (the web) that didn't match what was happening on the ground in my part of the market. We're still kicking out a bunch of print....and a lot of it is big print.

I love the quick screens on the new generation of cameras.

I immediately went camera shopping. I bought a Canon 5Dmk2 for three main reasons: 1. It was cheap compared to all the other high resolution options (I looked at the Sony's but didn't like the limited choice of optics or the lack of video...). 2. All of my professional photographer friends shoot Canon and like it a lot. And they (my friends) are a rich source of gear loans. They've got T/S lenses, weird wide angles and so much more. 3. I could put together a system that worked for me without worrying about when they might get around to refreshing the products I'm most interested in.

I've worked with the client many times since then and he sees a big difference in the files. I admit I'm impressed by the files from the 5Dmk2 as well. I still shoot a lot of stuff with my Olympus Pen cameras and I always pack an e1 when I'm shooting in the rain, but............there is something fundamentally different about a lot of pixels. You really see a difference in file detail if you do your craft right. That means careful focus, good lenses, shooting at optimum f-stops, using tripods when necessary, etc.

I've made my money back on whatever I spent for the Canon stuff and that's the way it should work in a professional business. But for a while I carried both systems with me on jobs because I think it's not professional to shoot deadline intensive work without a back-up strategy. Kinda dumb though, to carry a full back up system of non-compatible gear. And wow, those SHG lenses get heavy quick.

I knew I needed to get a Canon to back up the Canon and to shoot with when I shoot with two different lenses at the same time. I didn't want to blow the rest of my budget and get another 5Dmk2 so I started looking at cheaper alternatives. I almost got a Rebel T2i.....until I held it in my hands and looked thru the finder. I almost bought a used 40D but they use different batteries than the 5D2. Then I started reading about the 7D and it seemed just right. When I held one in my hands I was sold.

I should mention that I thought about buying a used original 5D but the LCD is just awful and the handling seemed kludgy compared to the new model.

I bought mine at Precision Camera, here in Austin, because they quoted me a price that was lower than B&H and Calumet, I could walk out the door with the camera in my hand, go back to them if I needed service, and finally I knew that the bulk of the money I spent there would go right back into my own community. And into our local tax base. And to my child's school. Etc.

The button on the top left is the quick menu selection button
and the button next to it is an immediate raw+ or Jpeg+ button
for one frame special captures.

But none of this explains why I like the 7D so much and reach for it before I reach for the 5D2 almost every time (there are exceptions...). That's what this review is for. First off I'll mention one of my favorite things about this class of camera (and that includes the equivalent model from Nikon, the D300s) I love the way the shutter sounds and feels when it goes off. It's muted, it has very, very low vibration, and it seems quicker in it's action than the full frame camera shutters. I never liked the sound and feel of the Nikon D700 shutter by comparison and I'm equally unfond of the "feel" of the Canon 5D2 shutter as well.

The much smaller size and weight of the 7D (and Nikon 300s) shutter, while housed in a body with even more mass than the 5D2 means that the whole device feels more solid and stable than the full frame cameras. This makes me believe that the camera is more responsive and, by dint of it's higher perceived rigidity, more stable during the exposure which might lead to sharper results, all things considered. Notice that I say "The much smaller size and weight of the 7D shutter..." but not the body itself. If you weigh them the 7D is actually just a bit heavier than the 5. Better construction? It feels like it. But that may be my subjective prejudice coming to the fore.

Now to all the little things. Ken Rockwell makes a big deal about how much better the power switch is on the 7D. I immediately agree, the three position combination locking and power switch on the 5D2 is fiddly and to small. It requires too much leverage on such a small control. Makes me think I'll accidentally break it some day. Funny how the position and feel of one tiny switch can change your feelings about a camera.

The next thing most people notice is how good the LCD screen on the back of the camera is. This is a neutral for me vis-a-vis the Nikon D700 I used to own. It too had a brilliant screen. Coming from the Olympus e3 though it was a big step forward. You can actually use it to judge sharpness and focus with. Nice.

One button stop/start for video recording. I like that.

One thing that makes me happy to use most cameras produced in the last few years (Nikon and Olympus included) is the inclusion of quick menu or data screens. You push a button on the back of the camera and all of the most commonly needed settings appear in one screen and can be easily set from that one screen. Beats the hell out of the old days when you'd have to scroll around through menus to find the stuff you needed. But I can't put a star in the "glorious" column for the Canon since it's quick screen date display and implementation is no better or worse than those in a number of other cameras.

I'm very happy Canon included on "on camera" flash and I'm even happier they made it able to control off camera flashes in the same way Nikon uses the built in flash on the D300 to control their CLS flash system. I use it, along with a 580 EX2 to do simple lighting set ups with a single off camera light blasting into a large, white umbrella as a main light source for quick portraits. People can talk all they want about how much better one companies flash control is compared to another companies flash control but it's all moot to me. I use the flashes on manual, usually at 1/2 or 1/4 power. All flashes seem equally good on manual. As long as they trigger the rest is up to me. The Canon off camera flash control system has a totally different menu interface than the Nikon or Olympus and it's not nearly as clear and obvious. If you are buying the system primarily to use off camera flash controlled by the 7D be prepared to drag along the manuals for both the flash and the camera on the first five or six shoots, just to be safe.

I practiced it all in the studio until I was comfortable with the set up. Even then I made a series of laminated notecards with the major steps on them to carry in my camera bag. None of this really matters if you are using the camera with a dedicated TTL cord or using the flash directly in the hot shoe of the camera. You just use it the same way we've been using TTL flash since digital came along. That is: take a test frame, dial in some correction one way or the other and start shooting. I've been a proponent of Jpeg as a standard use file format since I started shooting Olympus cameras but when it comes to flash and paying clients I always shoot RAW for the extra insurance it provide.

One neat thing about an attached Canon flash and the 7D (also on the 5D2) is the ability to see and control all the things on the flash menu on the LCD screen of the camera. You get more information and can make clearer choices when setting up the flash via the camera. I'm also happy to have an admittedly antiquated PC terminal on the camera. Having a desperation back-up for the regular hot shoe is very nice and I sometimes grab for an old fashion sync cord when too many cell phones and Nextel radio phones are messing with my radio flash triggers on location. (Quick note: I did a demo at a college photo class last month. Noticing that I used Elinchrom lights the instructor pulled me aside during a break and let me know that they were having a lot of trouble with misfires and non-fires with their Elinchroms and the radio Skyports. I asked for a show of hands of people who's cellphones were on and live at the time. It was 15 for 15. We tried the flashes and were able to duplicate the problems. I asked everyone to turn off their cells and we tried again. 100% flash trigger performance! No misfires. I don't know why but this is what worked. If you have trouble with your radio triggers the first thing to check after the batteries is radio interference. My next guess would have been ER from the banks of florescent lights.....).

The 7D's smaller, faster shutter syncs at 1/250th. Makes fill flash and sunlight a bit easier. I'd still carry around a two stop ND filter if you do a lot of that kind of work. If you like shooting HS you'll want to hunt down the menu control that allows the camera to do HS. It's under the first menu on the left of the row of menus. Look for "flash control".

All the usual stuff for flash is available: first curtain/second curtain, changing parameters for minimum and maximum sync speed, dialing in compensation (which you can do on the "quick" menu) and all the rest. Most of it is meaningless to me except the HS flash. I have been doing a lot of that in the last week or so. That also makes me happy to have ISO 100 but I would prefer the ISO 50 I can get on the 5D2 if I do much HS in earnest....

Yummy. A dedicated locking button instead of the confusing arrangement on the Canon 5D2.

Let me tell you three things that this camera does very, very well. 1. Autofocus. It rocks. It's so much faster and surer than previous Canon cameras. It more customizable than any of my Olympus cameras and the integration of graphical information on the focusing screen is great. So far, every lens I've tried on this particular picture taking machine locks in quickly and accurately. But you might want to take what I'm saying with a grain of salt and try it yourself if you are a sports shooter. I tend to stick with single focus points, mostly in the middle, and shoot on "S" single frame with "one shot" AF. I have tried the AI autofocus setting on continuous in a dark theater with fast action and was happy to see that the lens focus followed the subject and locked in every shot with perfect focus. I can't speak to football or race cars because I don't do that. I like that you can change the strength of the tracking focus lock on and make it more or less responsive to abrupt changes (like someone moving between your camera and your main subject) but again, not something I do a lot of. 2. Frame rate. Kind of a corollary to autofocus but the frame rate is fast, fast, fast which means the viewfinder "black out" time is well minimized. I think a faster frame rate and a lower black out time go hand in hand with the smaller sensor geometry and the lower mass of all the associated mechanisms. 3. Battery life. It just goes on forever. If you take Canon at their word and you do the full drain and recharge cycle three times before you use the camera in earnest, you'll find that the batteries can last up to 2,000 frames. That's only true if you don't "chimp" a lot, use the read LCD as an iPad substitute or shoot a lot of video. But if you use the camera as we film cameras, with little review, the battery life is superb. The charger is also very good, gives you more complete info that most other makers and does it's job quickly. I like that the charger has a folding plug and doesn't require a cord.

Anyone who uses this camera will probably tell you they have the same favorite feature. And that would be handling. It fits my hands perfectly. It shoots perfectly and it feels solid and reliable. People who don't handle cameras all the time don't get why this is such an important parameter to me. But honestly, I'll take a camera with worse ISO performance or less resolution rather than work with a camera that doesn't quickly become intuitive and ortho-adaptive. A camera should settle into your hand in a way that doesn't leave a nagging feeling that a control should be moved over half an inch or a button should be in a different spot. The stuff I use is where I think it should be and the stuff I don't use stays far enough out of the way that it doesn't cause me any trouble.

People laughed when I said I gave up the Nikon D700 because it lacked soul. What I really meant was that the camera just didn't feel right for me. There wasn't the people/machine connection that comes from a camera that's been rigorously designed for feel instead of just raw function. In some ways I regret selling the D700 because the files were really good. But I just never warmed up to holding it and shooting it. I always reached for the D300. I love the files I get from the Kodak SLR/n but the ergonomics are porcine and medieval compared to the older Kodak DCS 760.

The Olympus e1 may be the sexiest camera I've ever held if you are judging a camera solely on feel. Light years ahead of the e3. And I'm sure in each of these examples someone will say that they feel just the opposite way. They may be right for them but no for me.

In the Canon line the 7D is the current camera with soul. The shutter sound is satisfying. The finder is fine. The feel of the body is like solid steel in your hand. The buttons are just right. It's got the feel that eludes the 5D2. I'm willing to be that the 1D series of cameras is in the same ball park but the cost to someone who doesn't abuse their bodies is just too high.

But just because the 7D has soul doesn't mean it's files are magical. The 5Dmk2 is a much better file producer. When I compare raw to raw in the Lightroom 3 I can see smoother gradations, higher sharpness and more resolution in the 5. With both cameras set to ISO 100 the differences are slight but they are still there. The 7D files are just a little harsher. Harsher? Yes. Harsher. The 5D2 files are smoother and accept manipulation with more grace. All things being equal the 5 wins in every category. But the differences aren't enormous. If you didn't have the files side by side in the same raw converter chances are you wouldn't notice the differences.

Our blessing and curse is that humans are great visual comparators. We can see incredibly fine differences in color and texture when two objects are placed side by side. Incredibly subtle nuances. But take away the ability to do direct, side by side comparisons and you're in a whole different ballgame. We accomodate quickly to single samples and our mind makes them whole. It's the same thing as being in a room lit entirely with green florescents. Our eyes, or rather, our brains quickly make an accommodation that makes the light appear neutral. It's the same thing with cameras. In the absence of comparators all cameras look pretty good. It's only when you compare them with identical images taken with other cameras that you begin to really notice color shifts and noise signatures.

All that being said, the 7D is not far behind the 5D2 in quality. I feel comfortable shooting the 7D at ISO 800 and I feel totally comfortable shooting it's big sister at 1600. They can both go higher and they both become less than perfect. But, for me, high ISO performance isn't nearly as important as it might be to a nightclub photographer or a photojournalist. I've had the 5d2 since April and the only shoots that haven't been done on a tripod or with supplemental lighting are the technical dress rehearsal shoots I do for Zachary Scott Theater. That's about once a month. Tops. The rest of the time high ISO just never comes up. If I compared the 7 to the 5.2 at 6400 ISO I'm sure I'd see a huge difference. But that's not the stuff I do.

My jobs go like this: Go on location. Set up lights, diffusers, giant softboxes, things that personalize my vision. Set camera at the slowest ISO I can (commensurate with the best file characteristics....) and blaze away. Or, go on location in the great Texas outdoors and sync up a big flash and blow away the sunlight. Usually with ISO 100 and a two stop ND attached to the front of the lens. High ISO? Don't think so.

Head to head, at more Burgheresque ISO's I find the 5.2 files to be a bit more detailed and nuanced. I use it for everything that's got to be big and perfect. The rest of the time I reach for the 7D. It works better. For me.

Here's how I use it: The 7D loves three lenses and I'm gonna bet it's a long spell between new lens adventures. My "go-to" lens is the zonky 15mm-85mm f3.5 to 5.6. It's sharp but it vignettes like black paper wrapped around the end of the lens and it's got more curvature than Madonna. So why am I remotely interested in the lens and why do I like it so? First of all, it looks cool. Bad reason? Yeah. But it's also the equivalent of a 24 to 136 mm zoom that's pretty darn sharp, wide open on each end even more so thru the middle. And, if you are using the latest rev of Photoshop or ACR or Lightroom or the Canon software you have at your fingertips automatic correction of the things you might not like about the lens. Push one button and the software fixes most of the geometric issues while evening out the exposure to the edges. This is something that Nikon's newest cameras are capable of doing on the fly but I'm just as happy to do it in software. Truth be told, I'm not averse to a bit of creative vignetting.....

The attribute that makes this lens a real keeper, though, is it's impressive Image Stabilization. I don't have anyway to measure the real accomplishments of this system other than to say that I'm able to get a number of keepers at exposure times all the way down to 1/8th of a second. It's pretty credible performance and works as long as the subject's not moving too much.

It's important to say that I spend a lot of time and energy shooting portraits and I like the look of a sharp subject surrounded by a softer background. I don't spend a lot of time analyzing the corner performance of any of my lenses. If I shot architecture like my friend Paul Bardagjy I'd do what he does and spend time finding the optics that are sharp across the full field. Then I guess my favorite lenses would be tilt shifts and flat field wide angles. And, like Paul, I'd spend more time buying up Zeiss and Leica R lenses and adapting them to the Canon cameras. Okay. Enough on the 15-85mm. It might be an acquired taste, like anchovies and brussel sprouts.

Yes. A traditional flash sync, PC connection is provided.

My next favorite lens/tool is the EFS 60 mm macro. If you are new to Canon or you've always shot full frame you might want to know that EFS lenses are made specifically for the smaller sensor cameras and won't even mount on the full frame models. I like what Nikon did with their APS lenses on full frame bodies. The just show the smaller APS size crop in the finished files. Works great in a pinch but not available on the Canons.

The 60mm focal length is the equivalent of a 96mm on a full frame camera. I like the focal length and I like the fact that this lens is sharp wide open (and I mean very, very sharp) and has really nice contrast and resolution. Currently, this lens and my 100mm f2 (on the 5D) are my two favorite portrait lenses. The focusing is silent and quick. My one complaint? I wish it came with Image Stabilization.

Rounding out my lens choices for this part of the system is the 70mm-200mm f4 L zoom lens. I works equally well on both full frame and APS-C cameras and provides a lot of reach with very little weight and bulk. I've owned everyone's 70-200mm f2.8's and I'm so over the weight and the intimidating appearance, not to mention the cost of the behemoths. At f4 this lens rocks. It's about as sharp as you can make a zoom lens and it's not much bigger than a 100mm 2.8 macro lens. Erwin puts once wrote an article about lens design that gave me pause. (He's an expert in Leica lens design...) He explained that for every one stop increase you must increase the front element diameter by a factor of two. The engineering requirements to get the same precision grind and finishing tend to increase by a factor of 8 for every doubling of effective aperture in a given focal length. The bigger the front element the tougher the manufacturing process. In other words it's easy to make slower glass much sharper and much better for a lot less money that faster glass. The 70-200 f4 is a shining example of this principle as are most macro lenses which tend to be slow but sharp and evenly illuminated across the frame. I don't dread carrying this lens around with me during the day the way I dread carrying around the Olympus 35-100mm f2. The slower Canon lens even fits into the standard pockets of my Domke camera bag.

I bought the Canon tripod collar for this lens since I was unwilling to spend twice as much money to get the IS version of the lens. It balances beautifully and I've been very happy with all the images I get with this combination. On the 7D it gives me a reach of 112mm to 320mm at f4. I'm happy with that although I don't find many situations in which to use the longest focal lengths. And the lens is white which reflects heat. It's a good lens all the way around.

While the rest of my Canon stuff works on the 7D some of it becomes less useful, like the 85mm 1.8, which I love on the 5d2 and have no feeling for on the smaller sensor camera. Ditto the 20mm lens. I can't get over the feeling that I'd be compromising on resolution with the 20mm.....

So, the files are pretty good. At least on par with its direct competitor, the Nikon 300s. The high ISO's are very decent for a small sensor, 18 megapixel camera. It responds quickly and diligently. It feels perfect in my hands. I've found some lenses I really like to use on it. It's pretty cheap compared to the Nikon D2x's and Kodaks and big Canons I've dropped change on over the years. The finder is the best I've seen in the smaller framed cameras. So what have I left out?

I saved the best for last. I know. I know. All of you are "pure" photographers and you think that video sucks and we should demand that they take it out of our cameras and stop charging us for it. But you're wrong. At least as far as my business and my art are concerned. I'm finally starting to wrap my head around the multidisciplinary nature of our business going forward. And that means wrapping my head around the tools as well. This is the best DSLR video camera on the market today. I like it better, out of the box, than the Canon 5D2 because it's easier to use as a video camera. There's on button to set and push on the back. Once you've enabled video and set the desired resolution and frame rate all you have to do is push one button on the back of the camera to start and stop the video. You'll want a Hoodman or Zacuto loupe so you'll be able to watch the footage your shooting on the rear LCD. You can shoot in full manual or with as much automation as you'd like. But you'll probably want to do your focusing before you start rolling because the camera is not going to do follow focus on it's own like a dedicated video camera.

The footage is clean and highly detailed. I can make the camera "jello" if I pan quickly but like the doctor says, "If it hurts when you do that, stop doing that." This camera, coupled with a good microphone is a formidable video making machine. So much so that Dirck Halstead's Platypus Workshop (video training, week long boot camp) will be using the 7D as their camera of choice in their classes this year. I've been using mine with a Rode VideoMic and it's pretty darn good. Most of my projects are little ones that we've been editing on iMovie but they sure look great on client websites, via vimeo.

If you think that you're getting a camera that's pretty much light years ahead of nearly all cameras more than two years old and you're getting monster good video performance in one water resistant, dust resistant, easy to handle package you'll come to realize that this camera is one of the bright points of the current market. I haven't played with the new Nikon D300s but I'm betting I'd like that as well.

So this whole journey started because I was looking for a sensible back up to a 5Dmk2. I wanted a camera I could swap batteries with. I wanted something with pretty high resolution for those shoot with the client who pushed me to go higher res. And I wanted something I would enjoy using alongside the 5D2 when I was shooting multiple cameras. I think this pretty well fills the bill. Much as I like the 7D I think, in retrospect, that it would have made a lot more sense just to buy a second 5Dmk2. Then the body functions and the menu choices would be indentical. I'd also be backing up with the same quality as my primary camera. That would make a lot more sense. But I'm rarely sensible. And in my pig headedness I've discovered a camera that is robust enough for tough play. Has enough resolution to keep nearly anyone happy and has given me a more efficient video rig. I'm not going to switch now. But I do reserve the right to add a second 5 (or a 1DS mk 4) at any time.

People seem to like "pro and con" lists so here I am at my pickiest:

Cons.

1. I wish it had all the mechanical performance and specs (8 fps, fast AF) but with the full frame 21 megapixel sensor.....

2. When I'm in a hurry it's still hard to hunt down the setting for HS flash with an external flash unit.

3. I have to use faster, UDMA CF cards to get the full speed performance and write performance that the camera is capable of. Don't expect a deep raw file buffer if you are using a slower card!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. I wish the AF settings were more intuitive. I might use more of them. But maybe not.

5. I would like to have a second card slot. And I'd like it to be a CF instead of an SD slot. The camera takes CF's now but I know the pro models also have a secondary slot that uses SD.

6. Here's my biggest complaint!!!!!! Unlike Nikon and Olympus, Canon won't let you rename the files in the camera. I used to rename my Nikon files in a way that showed what camera they came from. If all the camera names were different there was never the chance that I'd have identical file names in my computer folders. Canon lets you do custom names on their 1Dxxxx version cameras but not on any of the others. I think this royally sucks. Yeah. Yeah. I know you can rename them in some programs. Just what I need, one more step in post. One more app to keep up with. One more labeling system to devise. We've talked about it before and a bunch of the IT guys got really excited about telling me how to proceed with the post processing rename. It just cemented their stature as nerds. The cameras can do this. The Canon people just want to punish us for owning two of their non-professional cameras at a time....... Stop enabling them.

3. The files are really, really good. Especially if you keep the revs, I mean the ISO, under 800.

3a. Not bad at 1600 ISO either.

4. Love the built in flash that doubles as a wireless flash controller.

5. The trade off to a smaller sensor means that the shutter sounds nicer, works faster and causes less shake. Gotta love that.

6. Here's my biggest positive point.......This is the best $6,000 video camera you can get for under $2,000 dollars.

7. Great battery life.

8. Weather and dust gaskets. Try not to spill but if you do maybe you won't cry...

9. The meter is right on the money in most situations.

10. I could watch movies on the screen. It's so good.

Final recommendation? Have lots of cash? Need the highest quality you can get your hands on? Do you work carefully and with good photocraft skills? Are you already a great photographer? Are you highly critical of my choices? Then stop reading this and buy yourself a Leica S2. But if you need a great camera for most normal stuff and you're sloppy sometimes and you drink too much coffee and your spouse has you on a restricted optical mechanical budget.......this is a pretty darn convincing camera. I've made some good money with mine. I'll probably make some more before I'm through with it. And when it gets superseded as a still camera I'll keep it around for more video....Final summation: a Canon DSLR with legitimate soul. I'd buy it again.

I'll stick some photos in tomorrow. Stay tuned for my Leica M9+35mm Summilux (yes, the model that got released in July of this year......) Best, Kirk

62 comments:

In photo school I did a head-to-head comparison of the E-3 and 5DMkII - same aperture, shutter speed, focal lengths. I found looking at actual pixels the differences were minimal. The value of the Canon was in cropping (more pixels means losing a few isn't a problem) and big printing. For printing full image up to the Olympus' image RAW size I didn't find enough difference to care.

For "depth" in images and bigger prints I shoot/scan MF film with a Mamiya 6MF. I'll put my 150Mb file size up against a full frame digital any day.

It is interesting your advertising friend is getting technical on you - wonder what deficiencies he's seeing that impact his client's product? Most pro photographers poo-poo equipment in favor of creativity and composition. Surprising to hear someone lobbying for a specific piece of equipment.

Mel, When my very astute art director directly compared files between two cameras at the size he would be using the files (11x17 @300 dpi) he could see much more detail in one file than in the other. I don't think that's technical, and, if detail is important I don't think he'd wrong to make the choices he did. In portraiture the sheer resolution is less important than in a product shot that will be used as a double truck in print.

As to the difference between film of any size and a digital camera---that wasn't something the review discussed.

I have many friends who shoot for major publications like National Geographic Traveller and Nation Geographic Magazine. They also shoot for clients like McDonalds and Bank of America and we often compare notes about what equipment seems to be delivering better results. This is an ongoing discussion with many, many professionals in our field. Most photographers talk a good game to outsiders like amateur shooters and clients but when they get together in a room notes get compared. All the time.

I'm not hearing any major ad guys poo-poo'ing any gear. The question I seem to get most on the phone these days is "What kind of continuous lighting are you using?" Followed by "Have you tried XXXXX lens yet?" You must be hanging out with a very atypical and rarified group of photographers.........

Forgot to mention one other thing. I am not lobbying for a specific piece of gear. I'm just reviewing a camera that I like. My friend, the AD did not lobby for specific gear but mention the camera model in passing. He would have been perfectly happy if I'd bought a Sony a900, a Nikon D3x or a Canon 1DS mk 3. He would no longer be able to afford my fees if I had to make a profit on a full on Leica S2 system.......

I wonder on the point where Olympus's "12 megapixels and overly agressive anti-aliasing filters" present as a problem in your work. In your experience, what type of work do you think Olympus 43 format is still accepted?

The Canon kit, consisting of the 7D, 15-85mm, 60mm, and 70-200mm f/4 matches the functional capability I have with the Olympus E-3, 12-60mm, 50mm, and 50-200mm HG lenses. Interesting. I think the biggest draw for an Olympus user like me would be the continuous autofocus, if it's as fast and accurate as everyone says. Sounds like time to start bugging Colonial Photo again.

"Unfortunately", because of your books, I have now come to appreciate and depend upon the E-3's on-camera flash remote control feature with the FL-50R (and Profoto umbrella). To me it's dead simple to use, especially manual setup from the E-3. I'd need to really scrutinize the Canon setup and menus.

David, the real expert in high speed sync is a photographer out of Atlanta named Ellis Vener. Maybe I can get him to write a guest blog to cover that. He's expert with both Canon and Nikon. I'll write and ask him. Good suggestion.

Kirk, first thanks for your thoughts, as always. We think more or less alike, so let me ask some more questions:

1. A 1.6x crop camera as a backup for a full frame? Hmmm. That would make a 1.4 50mm an 80mm; good for portraits, but a whole different game IMHO.

2. A Leica S2? As a German I should probably be proud that something that good is built by my "neighbours from the east", but wait: again, what about backup? On a Hassy, you could at least change the back module with the sensor...

3. Knowing that you're still mostly a great people photographer, which setup do you like best at the moment? I know that full frame gives you that super thin DoF, but doesn't the Oly 35-100mm f2 beat that 70-200mm f4 still (except the price, weight, and so on)?

4. You were speaking of night or club photography; what to take there? The M9 with a Summilux or even the Noctilux? Hmmm these cost more than your old Honda and my used Toyota together. Maybe I should finally get some E-PL1 with the PannyLeica 1.7 20mm for those moments... even the SHG Oly lenses cost far more than that combination, which is also far more unobtrusive. Can the E-PL1 be set to *not* reset focus when switching off and on, so you can use it with a pre-focused hyperfocal setting like a Leica? That would be cool.

Again, thanks for a nice and practical view on that Canon, it seems to be a killer all-in-one in some regard.

Hi Kirk, Been reading your blog for year now. Big fan btw, but this post really put a couple of questions in my head. And it really has nothing to do with equipment. Last year as the economy was tanking. I got to admit, it was charming to read your posts last year about abandoning all other systems and focusing your attention on just the Olympus. "Starting Fresh" And trying something new, as I remember. How did it make you feel to have this decision kind of thrown back in your face? Was all that introspection for not? I mean, you put a lot of time and energy into Olympus. Or has this happened before?, and this is the normal ebb and flow of the photography industry and I'm just to young to have experienced it.

Well, a sad day for us Olympus nerds who took to you like studio photographers took to Marilyn Monroe... or something;-)Question is: Will you see the difference only in large format prints, or in any scale? And how does the aggressive anti-aliasing in Oly cameras manifest themselves? Does this apply to RAW as well as to JPEG images? And is there a hope that Oly will deliver an E5 that answers these challenges? Thing is, everyone is seeing this happening, the 7D is a fantastic camera, and it challenges everyone who has to take pixel quality seriously to consider switching sides - at whatever cost that may be. I don't like the thought of it, the hazzle with getting rid of a series of excellent lenses and other equipment, but if this is the way cameras are heading, us Oly fans have a problem.

Nikon for years, D700 and all the right lens. The local Olympus rep asked me to try the first EP-1 and I liked it, so Leica M like in feel well I got caught up in the hype and did over nine months with the Olympus stuff. I was offered unbelievable prices for most of my Nikon gear from pros I know and... ooops I was without anything but the Olympus stuff. I do stuff for the wall, you know, art. Big prints started to not look that good and well, I too now am shooting Canon. Like your approach to reviewing and this one was good.

I picked up a 7D a couple of months ago as a backup to my 1DsIII. I also use it as my take-along camera for hiking, so the lighter weight and weather sealing were important. Like you, I've been very pleased with the camera.

It really shines doing high-speed synch with a Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 triggering older Plus IIs. I always shoot flash on manual, so I don't need the fancy receivers for TTL control. I can get a useable flash synch up to 1/1000th of a second if I'm careful with subject placement. You can see my post at www.craigstocksarts.com/tutorials/pocket_wizard.html

Dermot, Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong. But in art there really isn't any right or wrong. The Olympus equipment is very good. If my prediction that all our work would be heading to the web had worked out the way I thought I really would have no incentive to add higher res stuff. And I do want to be clear, up to the native file sizes I don't really think any camera has much of an advantage over any other camera for the way I use them. I shot a wedding for a friend a few months ago and mixed shots from the Canon 5d2 with shots from the Oly e30 (with the 14-35 f2) and the shots are equally good regardless of camera. You can do good work with any system. If all my work were portraits I would not have bothered to change.

Being a generalist, commercial photographer I added to my toolbox because one of my biggest billing clients requested it. That doesn't mean I instantly reject everything I liked and like about the Oly cameras.

Introspection is good and trying new stuff is good. It gives you more and more perspective.

The joker in the whole deck is the Pen system which I love shooting. But were the FF has better image files the Pen is the champion of handling. Think drag racing versus agile handling. The car with the biggest motor is not always the best choice for every road....

Geir, The Oly faithful should realize that working pros are capricious and fickle. We're following a moving target and we are our own worst enemies because we're always trying to leverage any perceived advantage. The first guy to shoot with a Nikon D3x probably didn't really need all that resolution but he wanted it. And after he spent his $8000 he decided that, for a moment, he had an advantage over everyone shooting (happily) 12 megapixel D3's. He casually talked to clients and showed them the difference in files. He chose subjects that would amplify the differences. He sold them on the idea. Now everyone has to catch up. It would be lovely if clients only hired us for our unique and impressive creative vision but the reality is that many times they hire us to solve problems they can't. Like how to get more detail in a photo that will print big.

If I never used a file bigger than 8x12 inches I would not have added new cameras. Now I've got my eye on that Leica S2 :-)

I've been using Canon 7D for the last couple of months and I must say I agree with most of your review. About your biggest complain, in addition to let us rename our file, Canon should increase the file counter to 6 digits. Currently after file no 9999 it reverts to 0001. That means after 10,000 shots you still get dublicate files even if you can choose your own file prefix. With 6 digits its going to take a million shots before you get duplicates.

More wish list:

1. EV lock when in Manual exposure mode. Press * button. Change top or rear wheel, EV is the same with different

shutter speed and aperture. Press * again - back to normal.

2. C1, C2, C3 mode: - Enable to change exposure mode( P, Av, Tv, M, B ) directly via Q menu. - Option to make changes stick. Currently it always default to the registered value after power off or after changing to other mode.

3 Option to automatically change to spot meter in Manual Exposure Mode( when ISO is not auto). That is Whatever metering is used in P, Tv and Av, we can set it to change to spot metering automatically as soon as we choose Manual Exposure Mode.

There are more. But I think the above three can be done via firmware update.

Two other lenses for you to test one day (easy to move the 60mm on the used market) would be the Tamron 60mm f/2 (nice to have the extra stop for portraits) and the Sigma 70mm f/2.8 FF (will work nicely on the 5 and the 7 because of full frame). BTW: I'm not a huge fan of lens test sites, but the guys at SLR Gear use the Sigma 70mm as their own benchmark (they have tested most of the major mounts) and suggest that it is the best normal focal length Macro lens they have ever tested. I have been impressed with the bokeh on this lens, as well ...super smooth and creamy.

I've used all three (EFS, Tamron and Sigma) 60-70mm's. My least favorite was the Canon. Tamron is similar when stopped down ...softer when wide open, but still nice. Sigma is my "go to" at that focal length for corner to corner sharpness and I use both FF and DX bodies. One other lens that you should really try is the Canon 135mm f/2 ...simply great optics on a FF body. Always enjoy your blog!

FWIW, if you've got older Canon lenses around, the AF system on the 7D does wonders for the rate of focus on the old micromotor lenses. With practice,a 135mm f/2.8 soft focus lens can successfully track birds in flight with the autofocus in servo mode. That's something I just haven't seen before from Canon.

Glad you like the 7D and its great to see a review from actual photographers instead of the technical reviews that DPreview does.

I cant help but wonder if I need to get my eyes checked or if i'm doing something different, because I have made several 30" or 40" prints with my E30 and EP2 files and they hold up very well. I generally uprez them with genuine fractals which is great software. And use the best glass I can afford (150f2 12-60SWD etc)

I do find it odd that the AD can see the difference in 11x17 files, not exactly very big. And with the limitation of printers and print media. It reminds of that study someone did. They presented difference resolution prints and asked if people could see the difference between a 300dpi print vs 200 dpi or even 150dpi at reasonable print sizes like 11x17. Almost no one could see the difference.

Anyway as always I enjoyed the post. Glad you are happy with the gear.

Kirk, had my 7D since April and have to say that its my favorite camera so far.

BTW you can correct your lenses distortion IN CAMERA while shooting JPEGS. Look at pages 76-77 in your Manual.

As mentioned above, the 50mm 1.8 has new life with the focusing sytem of the 7D. And is my go to lens when shooting portraits (80mm conversion) is close enough to a sharp 85mm on a FF. And my 85mm 1.8 works like a 135mm on a FF (136mm) but like you, don't find myself using it much...unfortunately.

Also, I had to contact Canon just to figure out the flash controls for my off camera 580II.UGH, but after that haven't had any problems.

I also like having the Backbutton control (helps when tracking at high FPS or isolating my focus system) and being able to customize that RAW/JPEG button I rarely have had use for.

Billy, I think perceived quality is very dependent on subject matter. We don't see edge sharpness and detail the same way on faces and landscapes as we do in other subjects. My art director's been doing this for a long time and he points out that there's a big difference in the way stuff looks on the monitor and on offset printing. I think it is because some much gets lost in the process that he is concerning with starting with the highest resolution he can. He's not capricious and it wouldn't have been an issue for him if he didn't actually see it and notice it.....

Thanks for the kind words about the post. I'm happy with both systems. They each have their applications.

Kirk,I agree a commercial photographer should follow the money. It's how I fund my gear addiction!

Agree the output must meet client expectations and the equipment must supply the expected output. Just wondering if this isn't a sign print art directors have hit bottom on DSLR quality images and are moving the bar back toward images with information density of medium format (digital or film)? Could it be the paperless revolution of web-only content is not universal?

Someone mentioned that I should have put a better lens on the front of the camera in order to photograph it. I have to confess that I like the little 18-55 IS 2 and find it to be pretty sharp and very lightweight. Portable performance. And so cheap it's almost disposable....

Very prescient question, Mel. I think you may be right on the money. Oddly enough, Leica seems to be stepping into that space. Let's hope that as the economy improves rates go up and AD's don't expect us to charge what we have been charging but demand the output from $30K cameras....

It would be nice if we could all move from "good enough" to "let's see how good we can make this"

Hi. You said: "With both cameras set to ISO 100 the differences are slight but they are still there. The 7D files are just a little harsher. Harsher? Yes. Harsher."

That makes me curious. On my ancient D30, I learned that the native ISO was actually 200, and when I set that to my ISO, and shot that, I saw I had greater dynamic range, and my photos got less "harsh". I think it was a characteristic of the CMOS imaging chip, but in any case, one element of the improvement I was was that reds would clip less. I just wonder if you shot your 7D at ISO 200, if you would see results closer to your 5Dmk2. I wonder what sensor Canon is using these days...

Might I immodestly suggest that those who find themselves perplexed by the EOS 7D's AF modes or baffled by the Speedlite 580EX II's opaque menu structure should download one of the free "cheatsheets" I wrote for Canon's Digital Learning Center. They are in PDF format and, when printed, require only a single sheet of 8.5x11-inch paper (front and back). Here's the URL: http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3466

Very helpful and real world thoughts. You hit on a couple reasons I would consider switching from Nikon. The lenses! More specifically the 100mm, 85mm and the wonderful 70-200mm f/4. All great performers at a reasonable price.

David, Thanks. But take this from a person who has switched systems more often than cars, the nikon 105 DC, the 85 1.8 and the Nikon 70-300 VR are all equally good and it's only a matter of time before they get upgraded too. If you are already shooting with a Nikon D300 or D3 (whatever) forget switching and just cherry pick the lens line. Or even better, trade the extra cash you'll save for some airline tickets to somewhere fun to shoot.....

I bought a 7d back in November of last year. I loved the camera, but a buddy of mine convinced me that I really needed to be shooting with a 5D MkII. In January, I bought a 5D Mk2. I figured I'd use the 7d for sports and the 5dMk2 for portraits. One day I was using both cameras for a shoot and later comparing the files noted that there was little difference in image quality - to the point of I mistaked 7d images for 5dMk2 images. In the last few months, I've found that the 7d is the camera I grab most often. It's better AF, remote flash, flexibility, etc just leave me feeling flat with the 5dMk2 for comparison.

I know.. the math on switching platforms isn't good. Honestly I have the Nikon 80-200mm af-s which is a killer lens. The hard thing with all the aps-c sensor cameras is finding that sweet 85mm to 100mm equivalent focal length in a wide aperture prime. I'll probably sell of my current D90 and wait to see what Nikon brings in the next 90 days. In the mean time my son will loan me his wonderful little D40! (a way under estimated camera). The 7D surely looks tempting (as does the 5DII) when I see great glass Canon offers at very nice prices.

I use the 5DMkII, backed up by the 40D for my wedding photography business but found this article very useful, particularly your observations comparing the 70-200m f4 with the f2.8 version, both of which I own. Decided to sell the f4 however - it's sharp and lighter than its big brother but it doesn't make sense to own two.

Good job Kirk...I had a 50D for four months and got rid of it for noise....just didn't do what it said would do. Bought the 7D and a been tickled pink with hold of camera Ci C2 C3 set ups for 24FPS and 60FPS. Threw an H$n mike on the baby and just enjoy moving from pictures to video for fusion style work. I even added a ol Tiffen strobo frame to hold mike/with wireless set mike and my big hands stteady

Yep they got a articulated screen coming in sept I heard......best

Was amazed of all the camera people I've seen out here....you so like the camera....enjoy

I'm not really going to do a gallery of images. The web is full of 7D stuff and I'll have some sprinkled through upcoming blogs. If you go to the blog for August 10th there's a link to a bunch of available light theater stuff. It's a mix of 5D and 7D. I think you'll like.

Kirk here is something i use to distinguish files... its a little off beat but it works. What i do is set one camera to shoot sRGB & the other Adobe RGB. For some reason this changes the 'img' that comes before the image number. and due to the fact im shooting raw i dont care what colour space is in the Jpeg preview. so 1 cam is Img_0001 & the other is _mg_0001. simple enough to distinguish the difference.

Kirk,You do good work and know how to get the best out of a camera. I think the 1D(s) bodies are made for people like you. Sure they cost more but come with every extra feature that makes them fun to use if you're shooting every day. I shoot everything with a 1D Mark III and a 35L. Yeah there are days I want more resolution but thankfully I have been getting by. Got my eye on the 1Ds Mark III if I have to.

I'd like to have a 1dmk4 but it's too heavy and, knowing me, I'll want the next upgrade and the one after that. At a certain point, if you ascribe to the idea that cameras these days are ultimately disposable, it just doesn't make financial sense, vis a vis the 1 series for me. Almost all of my shooting is done plugged into studio flash equipment. Renders fast frame rates and features irrelevant as I mostly shoot on manual at 1 or less frames per second.

I loved reading a camera review in this format. I wish every website did it the same way. It's was fun to read. By the end I thought I knew you. I thought I knew the camera. And I knew if I wanted to try one or not. Thanks.

I am astonished how you put down the T2i after you just"held it in my hands and looked thru the finder". (Mind you, I don't have one, so it's not a pride of ownership issue.) Aren't you the guy who propagates lighter gear, loves his E-PL1 to bits? On the PEN you put up with not having any viewfinder at all - or this CCTV work-around - plus almost no real estate to get a grip . Yet you find fault with the Rebel on these points. Amazes me.

This is a phenomenon I've witnessed quite often over the course of the past 2 years or so of EVIL-mania. Photogs who usually shoot D3x or 1Dx like bodies tire of shlepping their kit and look for lighter alternatives. They hit on M43 etc.like its the best thing since sliced bread - most as a secondary camera, few change over completely. Yet the solution to this problem has been available for years, and it's arguably cheaper and offers better IQ and features. But hardly ever do you see that these guys get an entry level body of their own brand. Which would let them use their lenses to boot.

It's a psychology thing I believe. To get a Rebel e.g. is definitely a downgrade from your pro gear. A cutsy PEN is more of a sidestep, not by definitin part of the pecking order of gear, an extravaganza. Plus it says "Look I'm cool" and also "I don't need fancy gear to shoot first rate images." The Rebel just says "I'm cheap, I do what's neccessary." What do you think?

Hi. I love the concept of the Rebel. I would carry it in an instant with no regard for other people's acceptance or approval. BUT THE FINDER, THE PART I LOOK THRU, SUCKS. JUST SUCKS. The EP2 and EPL, which I've said over and over and over again that I would NEVER buy without the finder, has a much better FINDER. The finder is better. It is 100%. It is clean and bright. The EP cameras are like this generation's discount Leica the way the Leica was to the 1950's generation of Rollei toting enthusiasts and pros. Smaller, lighter, cheaper really good. Really, really good.

If you want to see a guy really champion a "budget" camera then check out Ken Rockwell's absolute worship of the Nikon D40. A six megapixel camera that he's touted for over three years!

When I shot predominantly with Olympus I always had an e520 body as my street shooting camera. A much cheaper and more entry level camera that the T2i. But here's the point: I'LL PUT UP WITH A CRAPPY FINDER FOR A $400 CAMERA......NOT A $900 CAMERA!!!!!!

To sum up. Love the EPL WITH FINDER. Still use the $400 Olympus e520 INSPITE of its crappy finder.

I might write a blog about cameras. And I truly believe that you can do great art with just about any camera but I'm well enough off that I'll shoot with cameras I like. I'm not slumming it with a Rebel just to make a point.

The Rebel is a great camera with a shitty finder. Sorry, I'll take the 7D even if I have to save up a bit for it.

Kirk, great writeup on the 7D. I'm looking at this one pretty hard to replace my 30D. Since you talked about lenses, I thought I'd mention that my favorite lens is the Sigma 30mm 1.4. It's an EF-S only lens and it gives you about a 50mm focal length equivalent. It's built like a tank and just feels more solid that the Canon primes I've handled. I'm really amazed at some of the shots I get with it. It's my favorite walkaround lens.

I agree, Kirk. I can't believe that Canon doesn't have a quality prime for the crop bodies. Seems like a huge whole in their line. The 35mm f2 isn't bad, but kind of dated and the Sigma "feels" better - plus it's faster. I wish there was a good 20mm prime for something close to a 35mm FOV. None of the reviews I've read for Canon compatible primes in that range are promising. The Canon 24mm L is nice, but out of my price range! If you come across something, let me know! :)

Hi Kirk, awesome review and a big relief from the the world war III some people are fighting in threads about 5DmkII vs 7D... :p

Really considering to get myself a 7D, but there's still one question I'm bothered with - maybe because of all those threads: would you recommend the 7D for fashion photography meant for billboards or does the FF sensor really starts to matter then?

Hi Kirk, I have two 7D's and like, you love the camera. I was wondering if now, in 2015, you still use it or will you be going for the 7D mark 2. If I had the $ I would go for the 5D mark 3, but that is not an option.

Thanks for a great post.Adam from Australia, (currently living in Norway).